Apple Watch - $349 to $17,000 USD in 38 and 42 mm sizes – Great for fit and fitness plus short phone conversations, short messages and notifications. Plus more.
The iPhone-compatible smartwatch arrived yesterday and already some are hailing it is the next big thing. I remain leery. It keeps time within 50 milliseconds of global time standard via built in GPS. It allows customization of the face and can be purchased in up to 38 different configurations including multiple case materials, colors, sizes and interchangeable Apple Watch bands.
Used as a phone, the Apple Watch can be used for up to 3-hours of conversations per day. From full to flat. During std. light use, 18-hours is the spec although with some power saving modes, more than 2-days can be squeezed form the little new thing. To charge, expect 1.5 hours to 80 percent and 2.5 hours to 100 percent. Both from flat.
The watch case itself is crafted from 316L stainless steel that’s been cold forged making it less susceptible to nicks and corrosion to mar the mirror finish.
The display is protected by ultra-hard, polished, precision-machined sapphire crystal.
You can choose from three different leather bands, a high-performance fluoroelastomer band, a link bracelet, and a Milanese loop.
BMW i3 and the Apple Watch
BMW’s ConnectedDrive i Remote app can already be used on ones smartphone to remotely check and control functions of BMW i models. The Apple Watch can update owners on the i3’s current battery status, and alert them when the high-voltage unit is fully charged. Apple Watch can also display navigation instructions from the BMW i3 to the user’s final destination after the car has been parked plus guide them back to the car if it is lost in a parking lot for example. It also allows pre-conditioning. The new smartwatch features an innovative glance screen for applications which groups together the most important information provided by the app so that it can be viewed at a single glance. As well as the car’s battery charge, the available range and the timing of updates, the glance screen also shows BMW i Remote app users whether the car doors are locked.
Apple Watch In Practice According to BMW
Apple Watch acts as an extension of a linked Apple iPhone. It can connect the driver with their BMW i3 or BMW i8 at any time and allows users to check or control important functions directly via BMW i Remote app, without having to take their smartphone out of their pocket, unlock a screen or enter a code.
Apple Watch is controlled by pressing or swiping its touch-sensitive surface, as has become second nature with smartphones and tablets. An upward swipe of the glance screen reveals the BMW i Remote app start screen – the central navigation point of the app´s Apple Watch version.
The start screen displays the i3 linked up to the smartwatch, the car’s charge status and available range, as well as the time of day. Scrolling further up the start screen reveals a new menu through which users can check a host of other vehicle information, such as whether the doors are locked, the sunroof is still open or the hatch is closed.
Service alerts are also displayed. This list can be hidden by swiping the screen or turning the Digital Crown, Apple Watch’s central control tool.
Right swipe of the start screen takes users to the BMW i Remote app’s Remote Services, allowing owners to precondition the interior of their BMW i while it is being charged or still connected to the charging station. Another swipe to the right leads to the remote control feature for the horn, which can be activated to help owners find their BMW i3 or BMW i8 easily, even in large parking lots. A touch of the display is all that is required to activate the relevant functions.
Some of the BMW ConnectedDrive Apps on the Apple Watch
While in slow traffic and congestion, the intermodal navigation function incorporates other modes of transport into the route planning process alongside the user’s own car if this will help them reach their destination more efficiently. This extends the navigation system’s instructions from the parked car to the user’s final destination and also guide them back to the parking space if required. Apple Watch owners can access these location services with a left swipe on the start screen. Together, these functions significantly enhance mobility, especially in urban areas.
With their embedded SIM cards, BMW i3 and BMW i8 are optimized for connectivity, while the BMW i Remote app creates a close link between the car, driver and outside world. The BMW i Remote app for Apple Watch slots in alongside solutions for mobile devices running Android operating systems, further corroborating how quickly BMW is able to respond to the rapid pace of “connected car” innovations with intelligent solutions such as services and apps from BMW ConnectedDrive.
2015 BMW i3
Smart Watch Early Conclusions
In practice, I am not going to say this is the next big thing as some smartphone screens are already too small to make glace information transfer a seamless experience.
In addition, Samsung, LG, HTC and Sony have had their own smart watch offerings out for a while and I am not hearing this is a must have from users… Just yet anyway.
You might hear more about a smartwatch used a real world 8,000 mile drive experience soon.
In the meantime, the Apple Smart Watch is making waves with current owners of their smartphones. And this is just the beginning.
Apple Watch and the BMW i
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